By Royal Appointment: Queen's horse Estimate wins Cartier award

Royal winner – Queen Elizabeth II is all smiles after receiving the Gold Cup following her horse Estimate's triumph at Royal Ascot.

Hide Caption

1 of 15

All the Queen's horses 15 photos

First teddy? – The latest addition to the British royal family, Prince George of Cambridge, was gifted a teddy dressed in the queen's silks, by a leading horse racing organization.

Hide Caption

2 of 15

All the Queen's horses 15 photos

Golden glow – Britain's monarch shares a private moment with her connections and jockey Ryan Moore after the historic victory in June 2013. Her only daughter Princess Anne, who represented Britain at the 1976 Olympics in equestrian, is to her left.

Hide Caption

3 of 15

All the Queen's horses 15 photos

Victory charge – Estimate's Gold Cup win was the first for a British monarch in the race's 207-year history.

Hide Caption

4 of 15

All the Queen's horses 15 photos

Royal visitors – Prince Charles, the heir to the British throne, and his wife the Duchess of Cornwall attend the Melbourne Cup -- Australia's most famous race -- in 2012.

Hide Caption

5 of 15

All the Queen's horses 15 photos

Jumping heir – Also a keen horseman, Charles is pictured here taking part in a steeplechase event in 1990.

Hide Caption

6 of 15

All the Queen's horses 15 photos

Racing institution – The late Queen Mother pats one of her winning horses Bella Macrae after a race at Sandown Park in 2001. She was 100 years of age and still actively involved in the sport before her passing the following year.

Hide Caption

7 of 15

All the Queen's horses 15 photos

National mystery – In 1956, the Queen Mother's horse Devon Loch famously fell while leading the prestigious Grand National steeplechase, unseating jockey Dick Francis just yards from victory.

Hide Caption

8 of 15

All the Queen's horses 15 photos

Family gathering – Here Queen Elizabeth is flanked by her mother and her late sister Princess Margaret (right) at the Epsom Derby in 1955.

Hide Caption

9 of 15

All the Queen's horses 15 photos

Royal winner – Britain's royals have strong links to racing. A horse owned by King George V is escorted home after winning the Steward's Cup at Royal Ascot in 1911.

Hide Caption

10 of 15

All the Queen's horses 15 photos

French connection – Queen Elizabeth II and her husband the Duke of Edinburgh enjoy the racing at Longchamps in Paris in 1972.

Hide Caption

11 of 15

All the Queen's horses 15 photos

Elusive Derby – More recently, they are seen here at the Epsom Derby. It is the one English Classic the Queen has failed to win as an owner.

Hide Caption

12 of 15

All the Queen's horses 15 photos

Racing business – Queen Elizabeth II with her racing manager John Warren (left) and trainer Roger Charlton at Newbury racecourse in April 2013. Her horse Sign Manual was among the winners at the meeting.

Hide Caption

13 of 15

All the Queen's horses 15 photos

Royal point – The Queen's latest daughter-in-law -- Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge -- has also joined in the family passion. She is seen here at the Cheltenham Festival steeplechase meeting in March 2013.

Hide Caption

14 of 15

All the Queen's horses 15 photos

Royal addition – The royal family's love of horses is likely to be passed on to the latest addition -- baby Prince George, who was presented to the world by his proud parents William and Catherine in July.

Hide Caption

15 of 15

Story highlights

The Queen's horse Estimate wins the Cartier Stayer Award after a stellar year

The four-year-old filly won the 2013 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in front of the Queen

Her Majesty is a keen horse racing enthusiast just like her mother and father

Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Treve takes the Horse of the Year gong

It is a horse that most certainly meets with Royal approval but for now the Queen is happy for her filly Estimate to luxuriate in the grounds of her Sandringham estate.

But even while the four-year-old puts her feet up after a hectic year on the track she is still winning prizes -- adding the prestigious Cartier Stayer Award to her impressive haul of trophies.

Estimate's most notable triumph was victory at the 2013 Gold Cup, as a thrilled looking Queen cheered it home from the Royal Box at Ascot.

Ridden by Ryan Moore, Estimate stormed to victory in the prestigious Group One race in June, the first time in its 207-year history that the British monarch had owned the winner.